You can now get a hybrid BMW that charges itself wirelessly

Plug-in hybrid without the "plug-in" part destined for North America

BMW has become the first automaker to offer from the factory an electric vehicle that can have its battery recharged wirelessly, using induction.

The system uses a “GroundPad” placed on the floor of your garage to transmit energy to a “CarPad” receiver on the underside of the car’s engine bay; when the vehicle is driven over the pad, the battery can be recharged without the need for a physical connection, or even the push of a button.

More specifically, a magnetic field is created in the three inches of space between the two pads, charging the battery at 3.2 kW. A full recharge takes about three-and-a-half hours.

The wireless charging system will first be made available for the 530e iPerformance, in the automaker’s native market of Germany. Customers with leased 530e’s there will be able to opt for the tech once production begins in July.

Not long after, BMW plans to roll the tech out to Japan, China, the U.K. and the U.S. The schedule for the technology’s introduction to Canada could not be confirmed, but a spokesperson said he thinks it’s just a matter of time before it will show up here, too.